Now Reading: Telangana sold 5,200 liquor bottles a minute; firms seek excise relief
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Telangana sold 5,200 liquor bottles a minute; firms seek excise relief
Telangana sold over 5,200 alcohol bottles every minute between April and July 2026, with total sales of about 3.5 crore cases valued at nearly Rs 14,668 crore, according to excise data analysed…
The Story in Brief
Telangana sold over 5,200 alcohol bottles every minute between April and July 2026, with total sales of about 3.5 crore cases valued at nearly Rs 14,668 crore, according to excise data analysed by Times of India. Of these, roughly 3,600 were liquor bottles and 1,600 beer bottles, amounting to 91.5 crore bottles or 28.4 crore litres.
Meanwhile, about 35,000 cases of liquor and beer lie unsold each month in Telangana Beverages Corporation Ltd (TGBCL) depots, attracting ground rent of up to 13.5% for stock held over 300 days. Companies must also pay the balance 70% excise duty on damaged or destroyed stock, which they contest. Liquor firms have urged the state government to clear around Rs 4,750 crore in pending payments, with only Rs 1,742 crore released so far.
The Indian Opinion
The sales numbers suggest Telangana's alcohol market is booming, but the focus on bottles per minute obscures a deeper problem: Rs 4,750 crore in dues and an excise system that charges duty on unsold, damaged, or short-supplied stock. Industry argues this amounts to tax on something that never reached a consumer; the government says revenue is protected. Neither side is entirely wrong. The test will be whether the state clears the arrears and revises the duty collection method to match actual sales, or simply pockets the fees.
Sources (2): timesofindia.indiatimes.com, timesofindia.indiatimes.com (2)
This story was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above.
Updated: this story now draws on 2 sources.
